Samia Lila was serving at the restaurant when one of her customers alerted her to the goanna. Credit:Bega District News

At about 180 centimetres long, it went under one of the tables and the customers sitting there started to scream.

"Everyone was screaming, so I started screaming too," Ms Lila said.

The 25-year-old put a chair in its path to try to buy time while she figured out how to stop it from reaching customers.

Running out of options, the best she could think of was grabbing it by its tail and dragging it outside across the veranda and away from everyone - including past a woman who had by then jumped on her chair.

Samia Lila dragged the goanna from the restaurant.Credit:Bega District News

"I was just like a kid; I thought 'I want to do it, I want to do it, I know it's bad, but it was getting close to customers,' " Ms Lila said.

"I wasn't scared, I like reptiles so was a bit excited."

Diners at the restaurant were startled at the goanna's unwelcome arrival. Credit:Bega District News

She has been in Australia since November and it was only the second time she had seen a goanna, after scaring one away from the winery's vines last week.

A video of Ms Lila's actions was posted on the restaurant's Facebook page on Sunday and by Tuesday morning it had been shared more than 2300 times and had 212,000 views.

The Normandy resident said she did not expect the video to go viral at all. Due to her actions, she has now been labelled the "Goanna Girl".

She will be working at Mimosa Winery - and protecting it from goannas - under her Working Holiday Visa until June or July before she continues her travels.